Jun Tue 7:30 PMTuesdayТеатър АртвентBuy ticket
Where:Театър Артвент, 7:30 PM, Sofia
Idiotyt zvyni vinagi tri pyti
The Idiot Always Rings Three Times
A euphoric theatrical comedy with elements of the absurd, as well as a bit of drama, melodrama, satire, and another two or three genres unknown to art.
„The Idiot Always Rings Three Times“ is an absurd comedy about the man who loves madly, the woman who always has an excuse, and the friend who is supposedly just passing by.
Laughter, despair, and a slightly breathless existential panic, served with that intelligent cruelty with which Hanoch Levin knows how to turn human stupidity into art.
A story about passion, self-deception, and the eternal need to believe that „this time will be different“.
Judge Lamka is convinced that he has found the woman of his life - elevated, decorous and, of course, „modest“. Except that behind her tears and romantic sighs lies not love, but a well-coordinated diplomatic corps of suitors.
While Lamka philosophizes about love, is jealous with class and suffers with dignity, the world around him falls apart with Olympian calm.
And the doorbell - it rings. Three times.
About the play and its makers
Written by the celebrated Israeli dramatist Hanoch Levin, this new Bulgarian staging opens a trapdoor under everyday romance and lets the darkly funny truth rush in. The premiere took place on January 26, 2026 at Theatre Artvent (UACEG) in Sofia under the direction of Bogdan Petkanin. The production is created for audiences who enjoy quick shifts of tone, razor-edged dialogue and performances that dare to be both tender and merciless.
- Cast: Maya Bezhanska, Antoan Petrov – Andi, Dona Vylova, Petyo Petkov – Shaibata, Asen Lozanov.
- Director: Bogdan Petkanin.
- Scenography and costumes: Zhaneta Ivanova.
- Music design: Damian Popov.
- Producer: BAZA X; presented and distributed by Theatre Artvent.
Levin’s text is famous for catching people at the very moment they betray their best intentions. Petkanin’s production leans into that: the world is heightened but recognisable, the humor is piercing rather than cosy, and the pace keeps the characters—and the audience—just slightly off balance. Watch for the way the performers rebound between intimacy and farce in a blink.
A standout device here is multi‑role acting. Asen Lozanov whirls through a gallery of suitors, appearing and disappearing with timing that turns jealousy into choreography. Against him, Dona Vylova’s heroine calibrates every glance and hesitation, while Maya Bezhanska brings seasoned comic precision that makes even silence land. Petyo Petkov – Shaibata and Antoan Petrov – Andi complete the ensemble with sharp, physical turns that keep the stakes buoyant and the laughs earned.
Visually, Zhaneta Ivanova’s design plays with thresholds—doors, frames, the thin line between promise and pretext—so the famous ring at the door becomes more than a gag; it’s a countdown. Damian Popov’s musical cues underline the irony rather than sweeten it, nudging scenes from romance to reckoning without breaking the rhythm.
If sharp contemporary comedies are your thing, you might also enjoy other relationship‑tilting titles on our stage such as Savarsheni natrapnici, Kod Jalto or Lyubov po scenariy v HOLLYWOOD. Prefer something with a darker wink? Try Bez garanciya or the late‑night bite of Petak vecher. For portraits that cut closer to the bone, explore Vsicho tova e tya or the couples’ carousel in Otchayani sapruzi 2: Brakuvani.
Expect a brisk, 21st‑century encounter with Levin: smart, stinging and, at times, uncomfortably honest—because that’s when it’s funniest.